Richmond in Madison County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
General Edmund Kirby Smith
Graduated from West Point
Edmund Kirby Smith was born in St. Augustine, Florida. After graduating from West Point in 1845, he served in the U.S. army for sixteen years. Kirby Smith resigned his commission on April 6, 1861, to enlist in the Confederate army, where he attained the rank of general that June. At the Battle of First Manassas he was severely wounded in an attack that helped win the battle for the Confederacy.
Won the Battle of Richmond
After Manassas, Kirby Smith took command of East Tennessee, where he and Gen. Braxton Bragg planned the Kentucky Campaign. At Richmond, his army destroyed a Union force commanded by Gen. William "Bull" Nelson. His army then captured Lexington and Frankfort, the only Union state capitol to fall.
Commanded the Dept. of the Trans-Mississippi
Kirby Smith's success in Kentucky prompted his promotion to lieutenant general and Commander of the Department of the Trans-Mississippi. In 1864, he attained the rank of full general, the highest rank in the Confederate army. Kirby Smith was the last Confederate general to surrender, surrendering the Department of the Trans-Mississippi at Galveston, Texas, on June 2, 1865.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1862.
Location. 37° 41.068′ N, 84° 15.471′ W. Marker is in Richmond, Kentucky, in Madison County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Battlefield Memorial Highway (U.S. 421) and Berea Road (U.S. 25), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 Battlefield Memorial Hwy, Richmond KY 40475, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. General William "Bull" Nelson (here, next to this marker); General Mahlon Manson (here, next to this marker); General Charles Cruft (here, next to this marker); Patrick Ronayne Cleburne (here, next to this marker); Reforming The Union Line (within shouting distance of this marker); An Inexperienced Army (within shouting distance of this marker); Confederates In Rogersville (within shouting distance of this marker); Advance To Kingstown (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 3, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 27, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 455 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on July 27, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.